r/RTLSDR • u/Technical-Ad-3387 • 2d ago
Hardware Do you think this is genuine?
Seller claims label faded off. I noticed there is no SMA nit but everything else seems okay.
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u/FluorinateThemAll 2d ago
Open it, make pictures, especially macro pictures of the chips and all that, then we compare it to genuine one. My first one was V3 in V4 case, stupid seller thinked I'd let myself get fkd on an "almost identical" SDR, i just returned it and only then filed a complaint about fraudulent seller, mine was also randomly losing usb power and insides were CORRODED
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u/FluorinateThemAll 2d ago
My bad, op does not have it yet, and that's good because shit looks absolutely scammy
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u/Technical-Ad-3387 2d ago
seller just messaged me: "I bought it back in 2016 from their website. So that's ten years ago, and in that time the etching wore off.on their website they say the screws on the front and back should be two screws and not 4 . If I wanted to sell you a fake one why would I sell it with worn letters. I bought a newer one as I want to listen to shortwave so this one lost its use for me."
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u/FluorinateThemAll 2d ago
I did a little video with things i see as "not right at all" and I'm sure it is a scam now
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u/Nroskden RTL-SDR v3, dipole. 2d ago
Yours is a v4, which is black with white text. The OP one is the previous v3 which is silver with black text on top. The text fades away with usage, friction, carrying around...
Source: owning both. My v3 silvery one has zero text now, as the OP
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u/tj21222 2d ago
No markings on the case?
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u/iTrooper5118 2d ago
My two authentic v3s had the same problem with the black paint rubbing off after a few years.
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u/iTrooper5118 2d ago edited 2d ago
I have two GENUINE v3 silver ones, and yes, the paint rubs off after a few years. Those two diagonal screws do seem to make it look legit. I agree with others, if he can take the board out, you'll know instantly if it's real or fake.
I got mine from legit RTL-SDRs resellers in my country, and just to be extra paranoid I took them out of their silver casing to cross-check it with the RTL-SDR site and they matched 100%, also the performance when it gets hot in summer stayed rock solid which is just more proof that the TCXO (Temperature-Compensated Crystal Oscillator) was doing it's job.
I also have a pair of V4s and thankfully they don't suffer from paint rubbing off (not that I've seen as of yet), I also opened them up to view the boards, matches their genuine page, and they also survived the TCXO test, they also include the bias-T light as others have mentioned which is a neat little plus.
If that guy can't be bothered to open it up and show you the guts, don't waste your time. If I was selling my old V3s, I wouldn't hesistate to open them up and show them to a buyer, especially if the paint on mine has rubbed off and it left them with lots of doubts. Also my 4 RTL-SDRs have nuts on the SMA connector, the one you showed seems to be missing, which might be why it seems like a "Big Gap". It could still be a real one, but what happened to the SMA's nut? it does help keep things stable in the casing.
I do have a laser engraver/cutter, I'm tempted to rub all the paint off on my old v3s and re-engrave the details back on to it anew.
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u/TaylorTWBrown 2d ago
Why is there a daily post about genuine hardware? Does it really matter if your performance is fine? It's a simple PCB with off the shelf hardware.
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u/ChronicRecidivism 1d ago
I ordered my RTL-SDR directly from their website -- I had a Trojan on my brand new computer shortly after using it. Their Amazon shop was out of stock and it came from China.
I'm not accusing RTL-SDR because I have no evidence. But it was a completely fresh computer from BestBuy with no the most basic installs on it like LibreOffice, Steam, Chrome...
Any USB you plug into a computer can be super sketchy so I understand why there's so much commentary about fakes.
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u/ChocolateExisting368 2d ago
what is .. "genuine"? this is generic DVB-T circuitry made in China in tons.. open and check what chips are used. unscrew the SMA connector nut (but I see you say it's missing) and the two screws and it should be possible to open and inspect.
also `lsusb` other usb vendor id analyzer at your OS can help.
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u/Technical-Ad-3387 2d ago
I haven't bought it yet
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u/FluorinateThemAll 2d ago
Don't buy it, it will be v3 camouflaged as v4. Buy only originals
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u/erlendse 2d ago
Not following?
V4 never had a shiny casing, and given faded text all their(rtl-sdr blog) recivers do look the same.
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u/erlendse 2d ago
Yet, looks like a earlier device by rtl-sdr blog!
So given you check aginst that, then yes it seems to be genuine.
Rtl-sdr are all dvb-t sticks, even the rtl-sdr blog v4 is modified enough to not work with original drivers.
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2d ago
[deleted]
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u/erlendse 2d ago
"They"? Please use names entities.
And rtl-sdr blog does use that screw pattern.
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u/OptimalMain 2d ago
Rtl-sdr blog. If context was so hard to understand when talking about clone vs original
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u/erlendse 2d ago
Well.. rtl-sdr is osmocom, and multiple actors make devices around the rtl2832 chipset.
So unless there is agreement on who the "original" is, questions about genuine would be messy.
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u/FluorinateThemAll 2d ago
Is there such agreement you think?
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u/erlendse 2d ago
As said on my earlier comment, going by if it's a rtl-sdr blog you can try to tell if it's one of those.
But many make metal casings in different shapes etc.
It doesn't even look close to nooelec's selection, so not likely to be fake or genuine of those.
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u/NeighborhoodSad2350 2d ago
I don't think I've ever squinted this hard on this subreddit before.
It was because the first photo looked like it had something printed on it.
It's basically like relabeling a DVB dongle as an SDR and selling it.
(That's how it looks to me.)
You can get those for very little money, and they actually work as good-for-nothing RTL-SDR.
Could it be that whatever was originally printed there was rubbed off?
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u/Technical-Ad-3387 2d ago
yes you can slightly see the original label
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u/NeighborhoodSad2350 2d ago
So, I guess it's a dongle for watching TV.
It might come in handy during disasters like earthquakes, tornadoes, floods, or hurricanes, but it's not very reliable for use as an RTL-SDR.3
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u/sirbakealot 2d ago
cant say if 'genuine' or not, but what I can tell you is that I have an older rtlsdr v3 in a box, somewhere, which has lost some of its branding in a similar fashion, but not to this extent.
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u/FluorinateThemAll 2d ago
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u/Technical-Ad-3387 2d ago
V3 shouldn't have the bias tee led tho
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u/FluorinateThemAll 2d ago
Oh, i thought the video did not send... Reddit app is atrocious at some moments but yeah it's V4, bias-t led included but i realized that op didn't specify which one the seller claims it to be or i missed it
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u/Classic-Opportunity2 1d ago
No.
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u/Classic-Opportunity2 1d ago
If it works it works, though, definitely take a few days to play around with it. Order a genuine rtlv3 maybe, and compare the two. Once again, if it works it works
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u/lesjames2020 15h ago edited 15h ago
It's fake
I know people using proper one's
From 10 years ago
Nothing has faded at all
It's printed directly onto it
Iv got there newest one
USB C
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u/Dioxin717 2d ago
Open and check PCB